The invention relates to an appliance and a process for purifying, humidifying or dehumidifying, cooling or heating gases, especially room air, with at least one plate stack which is arranged in a housing, partially dips into a liquid, rotates about a horizontal axis and can be wetted by the liquid.
Appliances for purifying and/or humidifying gases, especially room air, are known, for example, from German Utility Model No. G8134160.1 or from German Pat. No. 3,308,871 of the inventor. Express reference is made to these as regards the design and mode of operation of these appliances. In particular, attention is drawn to the possibility of air purification and humidification by means of a plate stack rotating in a liquid. The slowly rotating disks of the plate stack are constantly wetted, so that both air purification by adsorption and air humidification can take place.
Messrs. Defensor AG, Zurich, has made known under the brand name, Air Humidifier 5000-V, an air humidifier for horizontal ducts, which can be operated in conjunction with air heaters, warm-air heating systems, air-conditioning systems, etc. For this purpose, the appliance working on the evaporator principle is flanged to a duct, so that the rotating plates giving off moisture project into the duct. As a result, the air conducted through the duct from an air heater, a warm-air heating system or an air-conditioning system can be humidified. According to the assembly instructions for this known air humidifier, it should, if possible, be fitted so as to follow an air heater, a hygrostatic control being provided to keep the relative air humidity constant, the air humidity being measured at the inlet of the appliance and, depending on the measured value, the air being humidified or not by means of the rotating plate stack.
The disadvantage of the known appliance is that it is only operated in conjunction with existing air heaters, warm-air heating systems or air-conditioning systems, and the air humidity and air temperature can only be regulated or influenced inadequately by means of the preceding air heater and the additional air humidifier.